ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effect of automobile exhaust pollutants in air of underground parking area on immune system of mice. Methods Thirty female Kunming mice were divided into a control(relatively clean) group and a polluted group(each n=15)by a random number table method. The control group was housed on the roof of a mechanical building located at the south campus of Sun Yat-sen University,while the polluted group was housed in the minus second layer of underground parking lot at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. The data of atmospheric pollutants were recorded at both feeding sites. The mice's food-intake and body weight were also observed. After 3 months of observation,the mice were sacrificed and peripheral serum was harvested. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was performed to detect the level of tumor necrotic factor-α(TNF-α),transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)and interleukin-4(IL-4). Results The levels of air pollutants in pollution group were higher than those in control group〔carbonmonoxide(CO,mg/m3:16.784±3.093 vs. 2.249±0.112),nitrogen oxides(NOx, mg/m3:0.318±0.041 vs. 0.065±0.030)and particulate matter(PM2.5,mg/m3:0.309±0.051 vs. 0.055±0.013),all P<0.001〕. The amount of food intake and body weight of the polluted group were obviously lower than those of the control group〔food-intake:670 g vs. 960 g,body weight:(37.13±1.11)g vs.(41.23±1.34)g, both P<0.001〕. There was no abnormal death in both groups. The serum levels of TNF-α(ng/L:247.93±22.25 vs. 143.33±39.01), TFG-β1(ng/L:395.77±41.29 vs. 319.15±20.72) and IL-4(ng/L:231.89±20.04 vs. 194.09±3.57)were significantly higher in the mice of polluted group than those in the control group(all P<0.001). Conclusions The automobile exhaust pollutants in the air of underground parking lot have obvious effects on the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines of mice. It is suggested that the presence of pollutants activate the body's inflammatory process and lead to disturbance of immune system of female Kunming mice.